Nicholas Cage is not the Dracula we deserve, but the Dracula we need!

With Nosferatu dominating the box offices with all its gothic, avant-garde glory you may need something a little more light-hearted to cleanse the palette. 2023’s Renfield is a fantastic recipe of dark comedy, satire, and not a small amount of heart (beating or otherwise). Renfield has recently been added to Netflix UK’s menu; for us all to feast upon! 

Both Nick (Hoult and Cage respectively) give fantastic performances as master and long-suffering servant, proving that toxic relationships take many forms. Renfield (Nicholas Hoult) has been in the service of Dracula (Nicolas Cage) for ninety years. Renfield does everything short of cleaning the count’s iconic cape (it’s dry-clean only apparently) and he’s quite frankly sick of it. 

After ninety years the duo’s options, and bank account, have become quite limited. This is why they are holed in an abandoned hospital in New Orleans. Renfield leaves most evenings to supply the ancient vampire with victims to drain blood, preferably of the pure variety. Hoult’s Renfield is a charming soft boy, a 6 ft 2 soft boy, who has some reservations about killing innocent people. He cleverly gets around this moral quandary by joining a support group for the victims of narcissistic abuse held in a local church and eh…dispatching the group members’ abusers to bring to his master. This works well until one night he gets tangled up with the criminal underworld on a ‘routine’ dispatching.

Awkwafina plays the pint-sized police officer with a foul mouth and a strict(ish) moral compass; Rebecca Quincy. Rebecca and Renfield cross paths and it’s up to them to save the city from both criminal and supernatural corruption. This results in many impressively choreographed fight scenes and not a small amount of blood, gore, and sarcasm! It’s strangely heartwarming to watch Renfield try to break the cycle of Dracula’s narcissistic abuse and create a place for himself in the world. As Rebecca states: sometimes you just fall under the thrall of a vampire for a few decades!

Nicholas Cage is every bit as fabulous and camp as you’d expect of a truly iconic Dracula performance. His delivery is as cutting and precise as his debonair velvet suits. One of the best things about the film is you can tell the cast is having fun with their characters, particularly Cage, I would bet my own soul that a lot of his lines were ad-libbed. Special shout-out goes to Brandon Scott Jones who played the painfully sincere narcissistic survivor group leader. Jones proves there is no part too small to make an impact!

Renfield takes the usual Dracula tropes and puts a hilarious spin on them. Asking the real questions like; do vampires need a verbal invite or will a ‘welcome’ mat suffice to enter a home? Quick someone page Buffy! 

Even with the gratuitous gore and violence Renfield manages to be touching at times and ironically breathes fresh life into the reanimated corpses of both Dracula and Renfield.

Three and a half stars.

TW: Discussions of Sexual Assault.

I did myself a favour and watched the cult classic Jennifer’s Body (which I highly recommend you do, too). Watching this clever, funny, thought-provoking movie in 2025, it is hard to believe that it was a major flop when it was released in 2009.

‘00s nostalgia spurts throughout the film. From the frosted eyeshadow to the digital cameras, it’s enough to bring a tear to a millennial’s eye. However, not everything about the film is dated. In fact Jennifer’s Body is hailed today as a modern feminist classic. 

This is particularly intriguing when remembering how badly the film bombed in 2009. Looking at Rotten Tomatoes scores, Jennifer’s Body has a rather pitiful 46% critic score and an even worse 36% audience score. Was this comedy-horror simply ahead of its time? Many believe so.

In pre-#MeToo 2009, Jennifer’s Body was marketed as a fun, sexy romp aimed at straight men. Sex symbol Megan Fox in the starring role as Jennifer, fresh from her scantily-clad Transformers fame, audience thought they knew what to expect from the actress. And Fox is wrist-achingly beautiful in the film; there is no doubt about that, but many complained she remained disappointingly fully clothed. There was also the promised same-sex kiss between Fox and Amanda Seyfrie,d which was framed more as an uncomfortable, confused, and tragic scene between two childhood friends rather than sexy. 

In short, Jennifer’s Body was marketed for the male gaze, even with a female writer (Diablo Cody) and director (Karyn Kusama) instead of what it is, which was a commentary about the treatment of female bodies (the clue was in the title, really). 

Many have theorised that the film is essentially a rape-revenge fantasy. The premise is (spoilers!) that Jennifer is kidnapped by an indie boyband after a gig. The group’s plan is to sacrifice young Jennifer to Satan in exchange for fame (obviously). Their plan goes awry when Jennifer lies about being a virgin, when she is not in fact even a “backdoor virgin”. This little lie causes Jennifer to turn into a creature-monster-succubus-type thing. This is a clear commentary on how women are only seen as useful or worthy if their virginity is intact. Also, how the music industry sacrifices young women to the altar of male lust.

Later that night, Jennifer appears at her childhood friend Needy’s (Amanda Seyfried) home drenched in blood and covered in bruises, with a vacant stare. After this, Jennifer begins to indiscriminately kill young men from her school. 

I theorise that the film is cleverly inverting the expectation of young women being targeted. Jennifer is indiscriminate in her choosing of victims. A school jock, a sensitive emo guy, and a foreign exchange student walking home alone at night. She lures them to secluded areas with the promise of sex and tears them apart until they look like “lasagne with teeth”.

With Jennifer’s murder spree terrifying the small town, its young men are warned not to go anywhere alone. Johnny Simmon’s character, Chip, is even given mace by his mother to protect him on prom night. 

Jennifer’s Body cleverly inverts many of the horror movie tropes. For example, the ‘nerdy girl’, Needy is not a virgin either. Needy and her boyfriend Chip actually have regular, no-consequence sex, which is unusual for a female character in a horror movie. 

This cult classic may have died on its initial release but it was resurrected by the dashboards of Tumblr and feminist blogs. Seyfried even teased the possibility of a sequel soon. Suffice to say there is definitely more to Jennifer’s Body than meets the eye!

Indian cinema has long been known for its ability to weave myth, culture, and grandeur into powerful storytelling. The latest addition to this tradition, Hanuman, directed by Prasanth Varma, is an ambitious retelling of one of India’s most beloved mythological characters. A cinematic marvel, Hanuman is a bold attempt to blend ancient epic with modern storytelling techniques, creating an experience that resonates with audiences of all ages.

At its core, Hanuman reimagines the tale of Lord Hanuman, the divine devotee of Lord Rama, known for his strength, loyalty, and courage. The movie isn’t just a retelling of traditional episodes from the Ramayana; it infuses these timeless stories with fresh perspectives, exploring themes of duty, faith, and the triumph of good over evil. While the script takes creative liberties, it stays rooted in the cultural and spiritual essence of Hanuman, making it both an engaging narrative and a respectful homage.

One of the standout features of Hanuman is its visual grandeur. The VFX team has outdone themselves, creating breathtaking battle sequences, celestial landscapes, and larger-than-life depictions of Hanuman’s legendary feats. The use of cutting-edge technology elevates the storytelling, offering audiences a visual feast that rivals global fantasy epics. The cinematography, led by seasoned artist Dasaradhi Sivendra, captures the mythological tone beautifully, blending vibrant palettes with the dark hues of conflict and sacrifice.

Teja Sajja, in the titular role, delivers a performance that is both commanding and heartfelt. His portrayal of Hanuman captures the character’s divine strength and endearing humility, making him an ideal hero. Supporting performances by Amritha Aiyer, Varalaxmi Sarathkumar, and Vinay Rai add depth to the narrative, bringing a spectrum of emotions to the screen.

Director Prasanth Varma deserves applause for his vision and execution. Tackling a subject as revered as Hanuman could have easily resulted in a cautious or overindulgent approach. Instead, Varma strikes a balance, creating a story that is both reverent and relatable. The screenplay moves at a brisk pace, though some moments, particularly the expository sequences, could have benefited from tighter editing.

The film’s music, composed by Gowrahari, Anudeep Dev, and Krishna Saurabh, is an emotional anchor, blending traditional Indian sounds with a modern orchestral touch. The background score heightens the drama and spirituality, particularly during pivotal moments like the crossing of the ocean and the climactic battle sequences.

Hanuman is a cinematic achievement that successfully reimagines a beloved figure for modern audiences. While it occasionally stumbles in pacing and exposition, these are minor flaws in an otherwise spectacular production. For fans of mythology, fantasy, and visually stunning cinema, Hanuman is a must-watch. It is a testament to Indian cinema’s ability to merge tradition and innovation, reminding us why stories of gods and heroes continue to inspire across generations.

Rating: 4.5/5

This film not only celebrates the timeless tale of Hanuman but also sets a new benchmark for mythological storytelling in Indian cinema.